Do Not Exploit the Poor

Do not exploit the poor because they are poor and do not crush the needy in court, (Proverbs 22:22 NIV)

You may have seen this story in the various media lately... Recently, the CEO of Abercrombie & Fitch said in an interview that he only wanted “thin and beautiful” people to wear his clothes, which is why the largest woman’s size their stores carry is a 10.  

People have been vocally critical, and rightly so.  I defend this man's right to sell what he wants and to sell it to whomever he wants.  But to say the things he said just makes him sound like a bully.  That there is somehow something wrong with any woman over a size 10.  I could picture him in high school laughing with his group of rich jock buddies at the overweight girl in her gym clothes trying to participate with her class.  Yeah, I know the type.

One filmmaker thought a good response would be to find all the old A&F clothes he could find... from his closet and friend's closets... he even bought them from secondhand stores like Good Will and them gave them to homeless people on the street to wear.  That ought to show the jerk CEO, right?  Give his precious clothes to the poorest, ugliest, uncoolest people to wear.   Wow.  Not good.

All I have to do is imagine if that guy knocked on my door and said, "I want to teach the A&F CEO a lesson about his remarks, so how about wearing his clothes for me?"   Geesh!  This guy is just as bad.  It is never okay to stigmitize people in order to promote a cause no matter how just we feel it is.  It's just not okay to use poor people, or fat people, or disabled people (yeah, there was another story in the news about that!), or sick people, or USE people at all.

Really, the whole issue is so condescending and so superficial on both sides.  Maybe if we just ignored it and went on with more important things in life like housing the homeless, and feeding the hungry, and giving love and compassion and a helping hand.  Jesus never said, "when you disagree with someone, make them look like a fool."  I don't think he would have had time for that.  He was too busy helping and healing and comforting.

Lord,
When we are outraged, help us to be outraged at real injustice.  And may our outrage move us to real, productive action.  Amen.

Joys:  Picking strawberries with Cecelia; looking forward to a weekend away; so much excitement coming up.... Kevin and Chelsea's wedding, a trip to the mountains with my Florida family, time at the beach with my boys and their families.  A great summer ahead!